


Snack Wars: Return of the Sushi

by f1topayrespects



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, it's christmas and i'm soft, maybe a feeding kink?, really just widening lando's tastebuds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:50:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21940000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f1topayrespects/pseuds/f1topayrespects
Summary: Maybe Lando needs to learn some self control, or create some distance, or learn to at least say no every once in a while, because it’s two weeks into the winter break and he’s been out to dinner with Carlos no less than 3 times. It only dawns on him when George rings, trying to arrange a meet up with him and Alex for the brief calmness that lays between Christmas and New Year. “I can’t, I’m going out to dinner with Carlos that night,” seems to be his new favourite excuse. George makes a comment, something about ‘boyfriends’ and it sounds petty though he knows it’s meant in jest. Still, it stops Lando in his tracks.The one where Carlos keeps trying to feed Lando ("mate, you need to grow up!") but it actually works and now they might be kinda sorta dating.
Relationships: Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr
Comments: 8
Kudos: 139





	Snack Wars: Return of the Sushi

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the mclaren challenges and the mclaren boys basically dating. dedicated to the hoes of the discord group chat, who let me type unfiltered trash and validate me daily.
> 
> first fic i've ever actually published instead of drabbly tumblr posts and comments, please be nice!

It starts after Austria. McLaren had them filming another absurd challenge in the flashy bar of the motorhome, arguing over the god tier status of imitation Peperami. Lando knew his tastes were basic, the most adventurous part of his kitchen being the M&S world spice rack his sister bought him when he first got his own place (and he’d only really used the paprika when trying to replicate a cheeky Nando’s for the lads). So it was a surprise when he got back to his driver room, post-race media commitments done and dusted for another weekend, to find a plate of what looked like wafers awaiting him. There was a note alongside it, in Carlos’ familiar scrawl. 

_Hola Lando, since you seem unable to handle the spiciness of my countries cuisine, I thought I’d start you off slow with some barquillos. They are usually served with ice cream, but I guess they could work with milk - Carlos_

They don’t talk about it, but becomes a routine of sorts. Lando gets accustomed to finding whatever local delicacy Carlos has sourced from the nearby vicinity of the track, each dish with a note attached, a piece of trivia about the foods origins and cultural significance. He invests in a mini fridge for his drivers room, just in case.

Charlotte gives him a knowing smile when they arrive in Suzuka, hurrying him along for the latest McLaren challenge video. He groans when he sees the chopsticks on the table. “I swear, if you guys try to make me eat sushi…..” he mutters under his breath, but Carlos can hear from where he’s sat next to him and puts a firm hand on his forearm.

“Come Lando, is not so bad.” He holds the chopsticks with such skilled precision that Lando can only relate it to how he handles his steering wheel back on the sim. “Japanese food is more than just fish.” The j catches on his accent, coming out more as ‘yapanese’, and Lando can’t help the smile that works its way across his face. He’s gets off lightly, subjected to one round of seafood, the inevitable sushi, and he gags in a way that’s partly a joke but also a threat. He nearly gags again when he sees the rolls carefully wrapped in clingfilm on the bed of his hotel room. He doesn’t know how Carlos even got them there, runs through a list of suspects from the team in his head. “I got Phil to bring some fresh Maki rolls from the sushi chef,” the note reads. “They haven’t been near a fish, I promise.” He sniffs them first, unsure whether to trust his team mates words, before nibbling on the edge of the roll. The seaweed is salty in a way that stings his bitten lips a little, but the food is good and he soon polishes off the whole plate. He almost texts Carlos to thank him, then changes his mind when he remembers the absolute thrashing he’d got off him at the bowling lane a few hours earlier. Best not to feed the ego, pun intended.

Abu Dhabi comes round quick, his first year fighting with the big boys in F1 over in a flash. The team are still riding on the high of Carlos' podium finish in all the end of year debriefs and he leaves for the airport feeling slightly unnerved. Sky F1 fans voted him rookie of the year and the car looked set to perform even better in 2020, yet he could feel his teammates shadow seeking to eclipse him the moment he faltered. The man in question finished up his farewells to the team and jogged to catch up with Lando, arm falling casually around his shoulders unbeknownst to the thoughts in the other mans head. “The flights not for another few hours, come eat with me. I know a great place on the way to the airport.”

Maybe Lando needs to learn some self control, or create some distance, or learn to at least say no every once in a while, because it’s two weeks into the winter break and he’s been out to dinner with Carlos no less than 3 times. It only dawns on him when George rings, trying to arrange a meet up with him and Alex for the brief calmness that lays between Christmas and New Year. “I can’t, I’m going out to dinner with Carlos that night,” seems to be his new favourite excuse. George makes a comment, something about ‘boyfriends’ and it sounds petty though he knows it’s meant in jest. Still, it stops Lando in his tracks. 

“We’re not dating.” he answers back, sharpness in his voice. The room feels like it’s spinning, making him dizzy and nauseous despite all the G-force training. He barely hears George say his goodbyes before the phone goes dead, and Lando lets it drop to the floor gracelessly. 

The restaurants are different each time, varying styles of cuisine from all around the world, yet there’s certain things that are always the same. Carlos always pays, for a start. He orders for him, picking things off the menu that Lando would never choose himself, doesn’t even know how to pronounce most of the dishes he ends up with, and Carlos honest to god beams at him when he eats the lot. He brings up the last text message he got, sent an hour before Carlos came by to pick him up.  
_carlooOOOOooos: Wear the red shirt tonight, the one with the relaxed collar._  
And suddenly everything falls into place.

He switches tabs, opening up the text thread with George, sends a quick _oh shit we really are dating_ and is bombarded with lewd emojis in response. Lando tries to distract himself by streaming PUBG on Twitch, failing when the only comments that catch his eye are about Carlos and their ‘bromance’. He knows Carlos is back in Madrid now, surrounded by his extended family. He switches off his PC and sighs, wraps a few remaining presents instead and settles down for bed early.

It all comes to a head on Boxing Day. The doorbell rings unexpectedly, and his mum’s voice bellows down the hall excitedly for him. Carlos is there. Carlos is on his front porch, smirking when he finally sees Lando, with ruffled hair and Batman pyjamas. Carlos is holding a small box, carefully wrapped with a red bow on top. “I uh…. I didn’t get you anything?” he stutters, feeling every bit the rookie teenager the media paints him as.

Carlos takes a step forward, puts the parcel down gently to one side. “I know cariño, is ok.” He reaches a hand for Lando’s face, tilts his head up so that he can meet his gaze. Time seems to still, Lando knows he’s holding his breath but it feels so fragile that the simple act of breathing could be enough to shatter the moment. It’s Carlos who leans in first, soft lips ghosting over Lando’s chapped ones, and Lando practically whimpers at the contact. “Maybe all I want for Christmas is you.”


End file.
